I have been behind on my comic buying recently, but this week I played some catch up. I didn't get alot, but it helps at least.

Superman/Batman #2
Superman:Birthwright #5

I really only collect Superman stuff, so the most I get in a week is 2 to 4 comics.

11-06-2003

billfremore

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsr-jedi

Supreme Power is basically Marvel's version of the JLA. The first issues have basically focused on Hyperion, the "Superman" one of the group. It's pretty interesting as he has been raised by the government. The other members, have only been seen briefly and we don't know much about them at all.

Supreme Power is based on the Squadron Supreme.

While writing the Marvel comic book The Avengers, writer Roy Thomas - a longtime fan of DC Comics' Justice Society of America - paid homage to those characters by having The Avengers face a group of villains loosely based on their successors, the Justice League of America. Thus, in The Avengers #70 (November 1969) the Avengers faced the Squadron Sinister, four villains based on Superman, Batman, The Flash and Green Lantern.

Two years later, reportedly through an unofficial collaboration between the writers of the two comics, both The Avengers and Justice League of America featured stories in which their heroes encountered heroic versions of the other company's characters. So, in Justice League of America #87 (February 1971), those heroes encountered characters based on Thor, The Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Yellowjacket. Meanwhile, The Avengers #85-86 (March-April 1971), featured the first appearance of the Squadron Supreme, a group of heroes in a parallel universe. This Squadron included heroic versions of the four members from the Squadron Sinister, plus several other characters.

The Squadron appeared occasionally in Marvel titles during the 1970s, most notably in The Avengers #141-144 & 147-149 (November 1975-July 1976; #145-146 were fill-in issues) in which the Squadron and their United States were being dominated by the Serpent Crown. Members of the Squadron Sinister also occasionally appeared in the main Marvel Universe, but rarely as a group.

Squadron Members

Hyperion, based on Superman Nighthawk, based on Batman The Whizzer, based on The Flash Doctor Spectrum, based on Green Lantern Power Princess, based on Wonder Woman Amphibian, based on Aquaman Golden Archer, based on Green Arrow (originally named Hawkeye, later named Black Archer) Lady Lark, based on Black Canary Tom Thumb, very loosely based on The Atom Blue Eagle, based on Hawkman (originally named American Eagle)

The Squadron's next major appearance was in The Defenders #112-115 (October 1982-January 1983), in which the Squadron and their world were under the mental domination of the Overmind, a telepathic alien. The Defenders travelled to their world and helped free them. However, the defeat of the Overmind left the planet in a shambles, as the government and economy collapsed.

Author Mark Gruenwald built on this situation in a lengthy storyline comprised of Squadron Supreme #1-12 (September 1985-August 1986) and Captain America vol 1. #314 (February 1986), illustrated by Bob Hall, John Buscema, Paul Neary and Paul Ryan. In this series, the Squadron decides that they have the knowledge, wisdom and power to make the world a better place, and decide to implement a project to turn their world into a Utopia. Nighthawk resigns in protest, believing that the Squadron should serve and not rule.

This series explores the Squadron's efforts to improve their world, and the opposition they get from unexpected quarters, with some significant losses and a major conflict at the end. Along the way a number of reformed villains join the Squadron, and a number of other heroes who joined Nighthawk infiltrate the Squadron. The series has since been collected as a paperback. This series was well-promoted and fairly popular, and the fact that Marvel Comics was publishing a series which was at best a thinly-veiled shadow of the Justice League was occasionally commented on, although no legal action occurred.

The series has been considered a precursor to Watchmen and Kingdom Come in its portrayal of superheroes and the implications of their power.

Following this series was a graphic novel, Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe, in which the Squadron, reeling from the climax of their Utopia Program, must contend with a huge creature which seems bent on destroying the universe.

In August 2003, Marvel published the first issue of Supreme Power, a series which recreates the Squadron Supreme from scratch, spending several issues on their origins and with a more realistic bent. The series is written by science-fiction writer J. Michael Straczynski with art by Gary Frank.

I highly recommend picking up this series. It is well worth the money spent.

11-06-2003

gsr-jedi

I was unaware of all of that. Though I do remember the 1st issue did have a special edition version, with a lot of history of Squadron Supreme. I didn't buy that version, so that's probably why I didn't know it.

Wolverine: End #1- Have high hopes for this one; Hulk: End was terrific, so i'm interested to see what happens to ole' Wolvie.
Ultimate spider-man #49- quite anxious to see what the Kingpin has in store.

cheers! :D

11-08-2003

jjreason

I bought a hardcover book. "Batman: The Archives vol 1". It contains Detective Comics 27-50, which are actually surprisingly good once you get going on them. Im already almost decided on buying the second volume to flesh out my knowledge of the history of the Bat.

11-09-2003

Bel-Cam Jos

Well, I can sort of participate in this thread for a change! I bought:

Star Wars Infinities ESB trade paperback

I would've bought the ANH one, too, but our local B&N who is having a fund raiser this week for my school did not have it in stock.

Yay! I have reinvested in our community! And our schools win, too! :rolleyes:

11-10-2003

kool-aid killer

I picked up the seventh issue of Transformers More Than Meets the Eye today. I have yet to read thru it but plan to take some time out soon. I believe the next issue will be the last one. If so i would like to see them do something like that but this time about the Beast Wars figures. It would be even cooler if they could include some of the Japanese figures that werent released over here such as the giraffe, rabbit, and horse.

11-10-2003

AT-AT Man

bought and read Ultimate Spidey 49 i really did like his ark. I can't wait for the Black Cat ark. It looks great.

11-11-2003

El Chuxter

I've heard that Armada and Beast Wars versions of More Than Meets the Eye are scheduled for 2004. :)